Johnson, pressed on Trump 2028, points to Constitution: ‘No path’ to third term presidency
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., on Tuesday poured cold water on speculation that President Donald Trump could attempt a third term in 2028, citing the Constitution’s 22nd Amendment...
By Fox News · Fox News
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson , R-La., on Tuesday poured cold water on speculation that President Donald Trump could attempt a third term in 2028, citing the Constitution’s 22nd Amendment and saying he sees "no path" to changing it. "There is the 22nd Amendment," Johnson told reporters at the Capitol, adding that while Trump enjoys teasing Democrats with "Trump 2028" hats and slogans, the Constitution is clear. "I don’t see a way to amend the Constitution because it takes about ten years," Johnson said. "You’d need two-thirds of Congress and three-fourths of the states to ratify [it]. I don’t see the path for that." Johnson said he had spoken with Trump about an hour before the news conference, calling the president’s "2028" talk "trolling" aimed at opponents. "It’s one of the most popular hats ever produced, and it drives the Democrats crazy," he said. JOHNSON SENDS CRITICAL SIGNAL TO SCHUMER AS DEMS DIG IN ON GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN CHAOS The speaker’s comments follow Trump’s own remarks earlier this week appearing to rule out a constitutional workaround. Asked Monday aboard Air Force One en route to Tokyo whether he might attempt a return as vice president in 2028, Trump laughed. "I wouldn’t do that. I think it’s too cute," Trump said. "Yeah, I would rule that out because it’s too cute." TRUMP ANSWERS QUESTION ON WHETHER HE'LL TRY TO RUN AGAIN His dismissal echoed Johnson’s view that the 22nd Amendment remains an immovable barrier. Ratified in 1951 after Franklin D. Roosevelt’s four terms in office, the 22nd Amendment limits presidents to two elected terms. Amending it would require two-thirds approval in both chambers of Congress and ratification by three-quarters of the states. The ratification process, Johnson noted, typically takes a decade or longer. Following his news conference, Johnson was pressed in the Capitol hallways by Fox News senior congressional correspondent Chad Pergram about the ongoing government shutdown , now approaching one month. JOHNSON…